March 30, 2015
Rep. Haddad and state Senator Mae Flexer (D-Killingly) held a press conference at the UConn Women’s Center in support of SB 636, An Act Concerning Affirmative Consent. Joining the two legislators were two student advocates, UConn Student Government President Rachel Conboy, UConn Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Eleanor Daughtery, and Legislative Director for the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women Jillian Gilchrest.
“Affirmative consent policies promote healthy co-equal relationships and effective communication that will reduce the number of sexual assaults on campus,” said Rep. Haddad. “Talking to UConn students and listening to them testify on behalf of SB 636 in front of the Higher Education Committee has truly helped shape my understanding of affirmative consent and why it is so important that this bill gets passed. This is an issue that directly and exclusively affects college students, so to see so many students play an active role in seeing this legislation out of the Higher Education Committee is fantastic.”
If passed by members of the House and Senate and signed into law by Governor Malloy, the new law would take effect July 1.
Fox CT was at the UConn Women’s Center covering the event. Check out their coverage here.
You can also read this CTPost editorial, “A Too-Long Wait for Yes Means Yes,” which speaks to the importance of SB 636.
Listen to WHUS's coverage of the press conference: